DIY Decorating & Design host Nancy Golden makes a Victorian footstool from an old metal planter. Use an old planter, or add tapestry fabric and fringe to a ready-made stool. Materials:
Stool base
Plywood
Tapestry fabric
Bullion fringe
Paper
Scissors
Jigsaw
Upholstery foam
Polyester batting
Electric knife
Staple gun and staples
Spray adhesive
Hot-glue gun and glue
- Make a paper pattern of the inside of the plant stand. Use the paper template to cut a piece of plywood, which will serve as a base for the upholstered cushion.
- Place the plywood on a piece of upholstery foam, and trace around it, adding an extra inch all around, which will give the cushion a plump, overstuffed look ( figure A). If you're using a deep planter to make your stool, you may need more than one layer of upholstery foam for the cushion.
- Use an electric knife to cut the upholstery foam to size (figure B).
- Use spray adhesive to join layers of upholstery foam and to attach the plywood to the foam cushion form.
- Cut a layer of fabric and batting large enough to cover the top and sides of the foam cushion, with an extra 3" to 4" on each side.
- Arrange the fabric face down on your work surface, with the batting layered on top of it. Center the foam cushion, plywood side up, on the batting. Attach the fabric and batting to the plywood with a staple gun. Begin in the middle of one side (figure C), pull the fabric taut, and attach the opposite side. Continue covering the cushion in this manner, stapling opposite sides and pulling the fabric tight as you go. As you get to the corners, tuck and fold the fabric carefully before stapling (figure D).
- Stuff the tapestry cushion into the planter, and use hot glue to attach bullion fringe around the planter's bottom edge.
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